The present invention relates to portable stages and, more particularly, to portable stages that may be towed by a vehicle.
A variety of portable stage structures, which may be towed by vehicles, have been developed. Many of these portable stage structures include a transport configuration (i.e., a position the stage is in when it is being towed) and a deployed position (i.e., a position the stage is in when it is in use). Further, many portable stage structures include a floor (comprised of foldable floor panels) and a canopy (comprised of foldable canopy panels) for covering the floor when the floor and canopy are in their deployed positions.
In prior systems, in order to ensure that the canopy covered the floor when both the floor and the canopy were deployed, canopy panels were designed to fold over their floor panels when the stage was in its transport position. In such systems, because the canopy panels were exposed during transport, the canopy panels were designed to be extremely durable, preventing the canopy panels from being lightweight. Instead, canopy panels tended to be heavy and bulky, adding to the overall weight of the portable stage.
It would be desirable to design a portable stage having a canopy and a floor, wherein (1) the canopy includes canopy panels and the floor includes floor panels, (2) the canopy is large enough to cover the floor when the floor and canopy are in their fully-deployed positions, and (3) the canopy panels are designed to be folded between the floor panels when the stage is in its transport position. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to reduce the overall weight of the stage by constructing the canopy panels from a lightweight material, since the canopy panels would no longer be fully-exposed during transport of the stage.
In many portable stages, hydraulic systems are used to convert portable stages from their transport configuration to their fully-deployed configuration. For example, many portable stages use hydraulic systems to move their canopies from their transport configuration to their fully-deployed configuration. Unfortunately, however, hydraulic systems suffer from a number of drawbacks. Specifically, for example, hydraulic systems are highly susceptible to damage when exposed to extreme temperatures. Furthermore, hydraulic systems may leak and are relatively complex. Even further, hydraulic systems require an onboard or remote power source, which may not always be available or reliable.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a mechanical, as opposed to hydraulic, system capable of deploying a portable stage from its transport configuration to its fully-deployed configuration. Specifically, it would be desirable to develop a mechanical system for deploying a canopy. Even more specifically, it would be desirable to develop a mechanical system which permits a single individual to deploy a canopy from its transport configuration to a deployed configuration. Further, it would be beneficial to develop a mechanical system which permits a canopy from being taken from a parallel configuration relative to a stage floor to an angled configuration relative to the stage floor for drainage, lighting and/or acoustical considerations.
Many portable stages are supplied with supports that are permanently attached to the flooring of the stage to support the stage when it is fully deployed. Supports which are permanently attached to the floor of the stage may make storage and transport of the flooring somewhat cumbersome. In addition, the supports may become damaged during transport or deployment.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a floor support mechanism that is removably attached to the flooring and which makes transport and storage of the flooring more convenient and less susceptible to damage. In addition, it would be desirable to provide flooring and a corresponding floor support mechanism that is safe during set-up, tear-down and transport of the stage.
The present invention is designed to overcome the aforementioned problems and meet the aforementioned, and other, needs.
A portable stage having at least a transport configuration and a deployed configuration is disclosed. In one embodiment, the portable stage includes a chassis having wheels rotatably attached thereto and a main floor panel attached to the chassis. First and second deployable floor panels are pivotally attached to the main floor panel, and a deployable canopy is attached to the chassis. The deployable canopy is stored between the first and second floor panels when the portable stage is in its transport configuration. When the stage is deployed, the main floor panel, first floor panel and second floor panel form a main stage, and the canopy is large enough to cover the main stage.
In another embodiment, the portable stage includes a chassis having wheels rotatably attached thereto and a main floor panel attached to the chassis. First and second deployable floor panels are pivotally attached to the main floor panel, and a deployable canopy is attached to the chassis. The canopy includes a main canopy panel, a first canopy panel and a second canopy panel, wherein said first and second canopy panels are pivotally connected to the main canopy panel and wherein the first and second canopy panels respectively have first and second spring pins. The main canopy panel includes first and second canopy panel securement plates which cooperate with first and second spring pins to both lock the canopy in its transport configuration and place the canopy in a semi-deployed configuration.
In yet another embodiment, the portable stage includes a chassis having wheels rotatably attached thereto and a main floor panel attached to the chassis. First and second deployable floor panels are pivotally attached to the main floor panel, and a deployable canopy is attached to the chassis. First and second stabilizer beams are pivotally attached to the chassis and are stored under the main floor panel when said portable stage is in its transport configuration. The first and second stabilizer beams may be deployed by being pivoted out from under the main floor panel. Gas struts may be used to position the stabilizer beams. Furthermore, first and second stabilizer beams include apertures for correspondingly receiving stabilizing pins located on first and second floor panels to secure first and second floor panels once they have been deployed.
In yet a further embodiment, the portable stage includes a chassis having wheels rotatably attached thereto and a main floor panel attached to the chassis. First and second deployable floor panels are pivotally attached to the main floor panel. The portable stage also includes a deployable canopy having a main canopy section, which may be lifted relative to the main floor panel. First, second, third and fourth sleeves are fixedly secured to the chassis, wherein the first, second, third and fourth sleeves respectively receive first, second, third and fourth extension beams which are secured to the main canopy panel. The first, second, third and fourth extension beams permit the main canopy panel to be parallel to the main floor panel when in a transport configuration and tilted relative to the main floor panel when in a deployed configuration.
Other embodiments, objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.